Mechanism for winding films



D. E. GRAY.

MECHANISM FOR WINDING FILMS. v

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. I915- '1',327,034. Patented Jan. 6,1920.

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D. E. GRAY.

MECHANISM FOR WINDING FILMS.

APPLICATIQN men Nov.26, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26 1915.

1,327,034. Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

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D. E. GRAY.

MECHANISM FOR WINDING FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1915.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

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' object of the invention being to provide a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID E. GRAY, 0F HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS MECHANISM FOR WINDING FILMS. l

-App1ication filed November 26, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID E. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Winding Films, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an'iinproved mechanism for winding film such as is used in connection with the moving picture art, the

winding mechanism that will receive the film from the projecting apparatus and wind it so that it may be used again without an intermediate rewinding operation.

By my invention the film is fed through the projecting mechanism in substantially the usualfmamier and when delivered from the projecting mechanism is fed into a hollow drum so that the film is built up inside of the drum into a coil of constantly decreasing inner diameter, the outer diameter of the coil, which is the diameter of the first turn, being constant. My invention is characterized by feeding the film into the inside of the drum instead of rotating the drum and pulling the film into it, for I find that by feeding the film into the druma uniform and compact coil is produced, which it is difficult if not impossible to secure by driving the drum and thus pulling the film into the drum.

My invention also consists in the particular art of winding film referred to above, that is, to say, feeding the film into a container so that the outermost convolution is formed first, and then the subsequent convolutions are formed inside of the first convolution, the feeding operation serving not only to feed the film into the coil thus formed, but also to rotate the coil'and container as the film is fed into the same.

My invention also includes mechanism for accomplishing the results referred to, as will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment of my invention.

a 'Figure 1 is a side elevation of a moving picture projecting machine having my improved film winding mechanism attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top. view of the parts shown in Fig. 1,-the magazine ,or supply roll container being removed for the sake of clearness.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 63,370.

Fig. 3 shows in an enlarged View similar to Fig. 1 the framework and mechanism carried thereby for feeding the film into the receiving drum, the latter being removed for the sake of clcarness, and the lay-block supporting the film chute and feeding mechanism-being shown in section back of said along the line 66, the film receiving drum being shown in horizontal central section to more clearly disclose the film feeding device.

Fig. 7 is a'detail side view oflthe chute, feeding roller and stripping roller employed to feed the film into the receiving drum.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the receiving drum and its supporting bracket removedrfrom the rest of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the parts shown in Fig. 8 taken along the ill}? '99, with the addition of one guard ro Fig. 10 isa detail View of the hinged connection between the parts of the receiving drum.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the locking mechanism employed to hold the parts of the receiving drum together.

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 11 taken along the line ported by a suitable tripo'd mechanism 21 sothat it may be moved into line with the film driving mechanism 22 or out of line therewith as desired, so that the film may be threaded through the driving mechanism. Since the lantern and the driving mechanism do not themselves constitute my present. invention, and since these parts may be of any type common in the art of moving picture projection, but brief reference to the mechanism is required. The driving mechanism consists essentially of the dl'lV'.

ing sprockets 23 and 24 geared together as indicated so they may be operated by the crank 25. The film 26 is led through the.

choke rolls 27 to the driving sprocket 24, and upon leaving this sprocket forms the loop 28 extending through the guide mechanism 29 in line with the lantern 20. From the guide mechanism the film is led around the kicker 30 to the driving sprocket 23 from which it is delivered and passes to the choke rolls 31 supported by the bracket 32 i tion of the clamping screw 36. One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved type of film winding mechanism of the class described which may readily beapplied to existing types of projectingapparatus, whether by means of the connections described or by other means of connection depending upon the type of the projecting apparatus.

The film receiving mechanism consists of a hollow drum 37 supported as indicated in Fig.9 by arms 38 upon a bolt 39 which serves to clamp the inner members of ball races against a sleeve 40. The outer members of the ball races and a spacing sleeve 41,

' which have-an over all length slightly less than that of the inner ball races and sleeve 40, are rigidly secured in a hub 42 mounted at the lower end of arms 43 secured at their upper ends to the plate44. The rim of the drum 37 is formed in two parts hinged together at 45 and provided at their other ends with a locking bolt 46, which as seen in Figs. 11 and 12, isfiattened and engaged by a transverse operating rod 47 extending through a slot 48 in one of the cars 49 proj ecting from the end of the lower member of the drum toreceive the bolt 46. The upper member of the drum is provided with a central ear 50 for receiving the bolt 46, and this ear 50 is provided with a slot through its side wall as indicated in Fig..12, which slot is of just sufficient width to permit the" bolt 46 to pass through it when said bolt is turned by the rod 47 to a positionbringing its smallest dimension in line with said slot. The upper end of the lower member of the drum is recessed as indicated at 51 and provided with a small cover plate 52 on the inner surface of saidmemb'er so that the slot formed between'said plate and the end of the lower member may receive the end of the film first fed into the drum. The inner surface of the lower end of the upper member of the drum is slightly cut away as indicated at 53 so that the second convolution of the film into the drum will form a true circle therein without a bulge over the end of the film.

The two lower arms 38 shown in Fig. 8

are not secured to, the lower member of the drum, but merely serve to steady said member in place so that the latter may be freely opened when the locking bolt 46 is rotated.

The arms 38 have securedto them a brake ring 54 against which a springplunger 55 carried by the arms 43 rests. The pressure eX- erted by the spring plunger may be changed as desired by the adjusting screw 56.

The edge of the plate 44 is provided with projecting lugs 57 which extend under the lugs 58 carried by the top plate of the framework 33, and a further means for properly adjusting the plate 44 in position upon the framework 33 consists in the pins 59 and 60 carried by the plate 44, which project downwardly to enter corresponding holes formed in the top plate of the framework 33. The pin 60 is suiiiciently long so that when the receiving drum is in place on the framework 33 the pin 60 as shown in Fig. 4 will engage the left hand end of the lever'6 1 pivotally mounted at 62 from the underside of the top plate of the framework 33.

The framework 33 consists of the side members 33 projecting downwardly from the top plate of said framework, which side members are connected together by the bottom member 33 and these members together support the guide rods 63 upon which the lay-block 64 is mounted so as to be freely movable in a vertical direction. The upper portion of the framework carries a shaft 65 to which a grooved pulley 66 is rigidly se-/11( cured, which shaft has secured near its other end a dISk 67. The shaft also carries a sec- 0nd grooved pulley 68, which is rotatably mounted thereon, being held firmly in engagement with the disk 67 by a spring 69 andthumb nut 70, which nut may be turned upon the shaft to change the tension of the spring 69 as desired, so that any desired degree of pressure may be exerted between the pulley 68 and the disk 67. As indicated 12 in Figs. 1 and 2 the pulley 68 is connected by a crossed belt 71 with a similar pulley carried by the shaft to which the crank 25 i is secured.

The lay-block 64 carries a bearing for a 121 shaft 72 rotatably mounted therein and extending horizontally at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the plane of the guide" rods 63. The inner end of'this shaft 72 has rigidly secured to it a grooved pulley 73 and 13 .the outer end of this shaft has rigidly secured to it the feeding sprocket 74 by which the film is fed into the hollow drum 37 The lay-block 64 also serves to support a stud 7 5 extending outwardly therefrom in horizontal position to rotatively support a guiding roll 76 around which the film is led from the choke rolls 31. From the guide roll 76 the film is led around a spiral directing chute which partially surrounds the shaft 72 and the feeding sprocket 74, this chute being supported by the lay-block 64. The end of the chute 76 terminates as indicated in Fig. 7 close to the left hand side of the sprocket 74 and in this manner the film is led to the feeding sprocket 74 so that it may be properly engaged and operated by the latter. The inner portion of the chute 76 has pivotally secured theretoat 77 an arm 78, the lower end of which has rigidly secured thereto the shaft 79, which rotatably supports at its ends the stripping rollers 80, which are of such a length as to just engage the edges of the film and prevent it from hanging to the sprocket 74 as the latter revolves, and in this way the fihnfed into the hollow drum by the sprocket 74 is held against the inner sur- 'face of the preceding convolution and prevented frombucklin The lay-block 64 also carries an upwardly extending bracket 81, which supports, by means of a suitable stud,-a grooved idler pul ley 82, the hub of which, as indicated in Fig. 5, is provided with ratchet teeth engaged by a pawl 83 to prevent back rotation of the pulley 82. A stop plate 84 is secured by a suitable screw or screws in the manner indicated to the lay-block 64'to keep the pawl 83 in a position to engage "the ratchet teeth referred to by gravity. The bracket 81 also has secured to it a boss 851.,through which the right hand one of'the rods63, as shown in Fig. 3, extends so that this boss constitutes an additional bearing for the lay-block. The right hand vertical member 33 of the framework 33 supports by means of a stud a grooved idler pulley 86 nearthe bottom of the framework 33. The pulleys 82 and 86 are so inclined in vertical planes as indicated in Fig. 6 that the driving belt 87 extending around them and also around the pulley 66 will properly drive the pulley 73, regardless of the vertical position of the lay-block 64. Furthermore, it will be observed that the driving eifort exerted by the belt 87 as it passes around the pulleys 73, 82

and 86 is in a downward direction from the vertically movable pulley 82 to the fixed pulley 86, and this results in there always being during the winding operation a downward thrust upon the lay-block 64, which serves to hold the feeding sprocket 74 firmly in en gagement with the film wound into the hollow drum 37. If for any reason it is necessary to stop the winding operation as, for

example, on account of breakage of the film and to release the feeding sprocket 7 4 from the film wound into the hollow drum, this is readily done by turning the crank 25 backward, which at once lifts the lay-block 64 and the parts carried thereby away from the film in the hollow drum, since the ratchet carried by the pulley 82 prevents back rotation of this pulley and the upward pull exerted upon the left hand portion of the belt 87 as shown in Fig. 3 lifts the lay-block and parts carried thereby.

The purpose of the lever 61 is as follows: When the hollow drum is to .be put in place upon the framework 33 it is necessary that the lay-block 64 shall be held in a sufficiently 74 and the stripping rollers 80 shall clear the inside of the hollow drum. To accomplish this a bracket 88 is secured to the right hand vertical member 33 of the framework 33 and a bell crank lever 89 is pivotally mounted upon this bracket at 90. The bell crank lever 89 has an outwardly'extending flange 89 atvits lowerend, which when the downwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever is in vertical position, rests below the outer end of a rod 91 extending from and rigidly secured to the boss 85 carried by the lay-block. The relation of the parts is such that when the lay-block is supported by the engagement of the rod 91 with the bell crank lever 89 that the feeding sprocket 74 andthe stripping rolls 80 clear the inner surface of the hollow drum. The bell crank lever 89 is connected with the right hand end of lever 61 by means of a rod 92, and the horizontally extending end of the bell crank lever is also connected by a second rod 93 with a lever arm 94 pivotally sup ported at 95 from a bracket 96 secured to the lower portion of the framework 33. The lower end of the rod 93 is provided with a slot 97 which loosely engages a pin 98 carried by a lever 94 so that the lever94 may move freely relative to the rod 93, and when the pin 98 is in the lower end of the slot 97 the lever 94 is held in horizontal position.

The outer end of the lever 94 is bent at an elevated position so that the feeding sprocket.

sprocket 74 after the film has been threaded around the guide roller 76 and through the spiral chute '76, after which the hollow drum is put in place upon the framework 33 as above described. 'When the hollow drum is put in place, however, the pin 60 operates the lever 61thus removing the bell crank lever 89 from engagement with the rod 91, which permits the lay-block 64- and members carried thereby to drop, so that the film is broughtinto engagement with the inner surface of the hollow drum. At the same time the rod 93 quickly moves the lever 94 to vertical position on account of the le- 'verage employed thus releasing the end portion of the film and as it is usual to drop the hollow drum and its supporting framework into position after the pins 59'and 60 are entered in the corresponding holes in the top plate of the framework 33, the rod 93 is moved with sufiicient rapidity so that the lever 94 is carried upward beyond its vertical position and rests againstthe framework 33, which extra motion is permitted by the slot 97. The released end of the film is then inserted under the plate 52 by rotating the hollow drum so as to bring the portion of the film between the plate 52 and the feeding sprocket 74: snugly against the inner surface i of the hollow drum, for which condition the apparatus is in readiness to be operated by the turning of the crank 25.

'ltwill be understood that the supply roll and the hollowdrum are in practice entirely inclosed in fireproof casings which are not shown sincethey are common in the art, the choke rolls 27 and 31being provided to stop the film openings in the casings iffor any reason the film should. get on fire. As

. Fig. 1. This sheet steel a result of-the construction it will be observed that the film upon leaving the driving mechanism 22 is fed into the receiving drum and that this drum is rotated entirely by the force exerted upon the film in the drum by the f'eedin sprocket 74. The spring plunger 1 55 has sue a pressure exerted upon it as to prevent the drum being rotated in advance of the film through uneven resistance of any kind to rotation, and thus the film is caused to build up uniformly, on the inside of the drum, each convolution being firmly pressed against the inner surfaceof the one precede ing it and any tendency to buckling of the film being removed by stripping rolls 80.

, Since it is desirable to have as small an inner diameter as possible, the plane of the receiving drum is at an angle of substantially 30 degrees to the direction taken by the film on leaving the driving mechanism 22, and

this angle of inclination requires the arrangement of pulleys carried by the framework 33 described above, and the function of the spiral chute 76 is to turn the film from one direction to the other without cramping or buckling-the film.

' When the reel of film has been run through the projecting machine and wound inside of the hollow drum, I find it advisable to insert in the wound film a resilient core or support to hold it in position, and this may be simply efiected by placing therein a coiled strip of thin sheet steel as shown at' 99 in ma mosewider than the film so that when clamped-- between the side plates 100 of the supply reel or magazine, the film will be held centrally in the mechanism. A stud 101 is supported by the framework 34 to, carry the magazine or supply roll. The wound film in the hollow drum may be removed therefrom and placed in the magazine by releasing the locking bolt 46, separating the members of the hollow drum 37 from each other and then removing the wound film from the hollow drum which operation is done after removing the hollow drum and its contents from the framework 33. The film with its expansible core is then mounted in "the supply reel as described and is at once ready for use without an intermediate rewinding operation; since the starting. end of the film no tendency to lateral displacement unless there are kinks in the film itself or bad splices between difi'erent sections of the film which throw these sections out of alinement with each other.

Fig. 13.sh0Ws diagrammatically the course of the film from the supply roll 35 aroundthe driving sprocket 24 and through the loop 28 to the driving sprocket 23 and from thence around the guide roller 76 and.

through the spiral turn 7 6 under the feeding sprocket 74: to the inner surface of the receivingcoil- 37 in the hollow drum 37.

It willbe observed that the limiting internal diameterof the coil 37 is determined bythe size of the spiral chute 7 6 and feeding sprocket 74, these being the only parts which project into the coil' wound in the;

hollow drum.

The friction driving mechanism consisting of the disk 67 and the pulley 68 is provided so that the pulley 68 maybe driven at a rate slightly greater than that corresponding to the linear travel of the film delivered by the sprocket 23 as a result of which there is a small amount of slip between the disk 67 and-the pulley 68 which keeps the film between the sprocket 23 and the feeding sprocket 74:,tight at all times and thus maintains the film in proper en gagement with the sprockets 23 and 74. 5? From the foregoing descriptionit will be understood that the first end of the film is is preferably slightly fed into the hollow drum at the beginning 1-;

' of the winding operation, and that as the weight of the lay-block and parts carried thereby and partly by the downward thrust gxerted upon the lay-block by the driving elt.

It will be understood that the feeding roller 74 is provided with driving teeth for engaging corresponding holes in the edges of the film for the reason that in many cases the film is not uniformly flat 'but'is distorted and means are required in the feeding mechanism to prevent similar distortion in the wound coil. In cases however,

Where the film is flat and true I find that the driving teeth may be omitted and a plain feeding roller may be used. My invention may therefore be used to wind strip material which is fiat and uniform by means of a plain feeding roller instead of a roller having teeth as shown.

While l have shown my invention in the particular embodiment herein described, I do not, however, limit myself to the construction shown as I may employ any equivalent mechanism that willaccomplish the results described.

What I claim-is:

1. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, and devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, said drum consisting oftvvo semi-circular'parts movable from each: other to release the coil of film wound therein.

2. In a film winding mechanism, the com- -bination of a hollow rotary receptacle, and

mechanism for feeding a strip of film into said receptacle whereby a coil of film is wound in said receptacle, said receptacle consisting of two semi-circular parts movable from each other to release the coil of film wound'therein. J

3.- In a film winding mechanism, the-combination of a hollow drum, devices. for rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending .to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into'said drumand rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, said drum consisting of two semi-circular parts movable from each other to release the coil of film wound therein, and locking devices for holding the parts of the drum together in proper relation to receive the film.

4. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow rotary receptacle, and i mechanism for feeding a strip of film into said receptacle whereby a coil of film is wound in said receptacle, said receptacle consisting of two semi-circular parts movable from each other to release the coil of film wound therein, and locking devices for holding the parts of the drum together in proper relation to receive the film.

5. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a'hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent "rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a movable support for said feeding devices to permit the latter to assume different positions corresponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed thereby, and driving gearing for said feed- .ing devices for operating said devices at the same rate forthe different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said. I driving gearing upon said feeding devices tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said drum.

6.. In a film winding mechanism, the co-mlatter to assume different positlons corresponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed thereby, and driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said mechanism at the same rate for the different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding mechanism tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said receptacle.

7. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a movable support for said feeding devices to permit the latter to assume different positions corresponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed.

thereby, driving gearing for said feeding devices for operating said devices at the same rate for the different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding devices tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said drum, and devices for preventing back'rotation of the feeding devices whereby-back rotation of the driving gearing removes the feeding devices from engagement with the coil of film wound in said drum.

8. In a film winding inechanism,the com-- bination of a hollow rotary receptacle, and mechanism for feeding a strip of film into said receptacle whereby a coil of film is wound in said receptacle, a movable support a for said feeding mechanism to permit the latter to assume the different positions corresponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed thereby, driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said M mechanism at the same rate for the different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding mechanism tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said receptacle, and devices for preventing back rotation of the feeding mechanism wherebyback rotation of the driving gearing removes the feeding mechanism from engagement with the coil of the film wound in the receptacle.

9. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, a hollow rotary receptacle for the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changing the direction of motion of said film into the plane of said receptacle, mechanism for feeding the strip of film in its changed direction into said receptacle and building up a coil of film in said receptacle, a movable support for the feeding mechanism and direction changing devices perniiitting the feeding mechanismto assume different positions determined by the amount of film wound in said receptacle, and driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said mechanism at the same rate for the different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said driving gearing 40 upon said feeding mechanism tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said receptacle. p

10. Ina film winding mechanism, the combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, a hollow rotary receptacle for the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changing the direction of motion of said film into the plane of said receptacle, mechanism for feeding the strip of, film in its changed direction into said receptacle and building up a coil of film in said receptacle,

a movable support for the feeding mechanism and direction changing devices permitting the feeding mechanism to assume different positions determined by the amount of film wound in said receptacle, and driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said mechanism at the same rate for the different positions of said movable support, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding mechanism tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said receptacle, and devices for preventing back rotation of the feeding mechanism eaaoea whereby back rotation of the driving gearing removes the feeding mechanism from the receptacle.

,11. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a first framework for supporting said drum, a second framework for supporting said feeding devices, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said drum, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding devices away from, said drum, and tripping devices actuated by plac ing said first framework in position upon said second. framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position.

12. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow rotary receptacle, mechanism for feeding a strip of film into said receptacle whereby a-coil of film is wound in said receptacle, a first framework for supporting said receptacle, a second framework for supporting said feeding mechanism, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiledfilm from said receptacle, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding mechanism away from said receptacle, and trip ping devices actuated by placing said first framework in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position.

13. lln a film winding mechanism, the combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, a hollow rotary receptacle for the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changingthe direction of motion of said 11 film into the plane of said receptacle, mechanism for feeding the strip of film in its changed direction into said receptacle and building up a coil of film in said receptacle,

a first framework for supporting said receptacle, a second framework for supporting said feeding mechanism and direction changing devices, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said receptacle, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said. feeding mechanism away from said receptacle, and tripping devices acutated by placing said first framework in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position.

14. In a film'winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a first framework for supporting said drum, a second framework for supporting said feeding devices, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said drum, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding devices away from said drum, tripping devices actuated by placing said first framework in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position, a member for supporting the end of a strip of film in engagement with said feeding devices, and connections between said member and said tripping devices for removing said member from its supporting position when said tripping devices are actuated.

15. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a hollow rotary receptacle, and mechanism for feeding a strip of film into said receptacle whereby a coil of film is wound in said receptacle, a first framework for supporting said receptacle, a second framework for supporting said feeding mechanism, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said receptacle, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding mechanism away from said receptacle, tripping devices actuated by placing said first framework in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position, a member for supporting the end of a strip offilm in engagement with said feeding mechanism, and connections between said member and said tripping devices for removing saidmember from its supporting position when said tripping l devices are actuated. I

16. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, a hollow rotary receptacle for the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changing the direction of motion of said film into the plane of said receptacle, mechanism forfeeding the strip of film in its changed direction into said receptacle and building up a coil of film in said receptacle,

a first framework for supporting said receptacle, a second, framework for supporting said feeding mechanism anddirection V nism away from said receptacle, tripping devices actuated by placing said first frame work in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position, a member for supporting the end of a strip of film in engagement w ith said feeding mechanism and connection between said member ancf said tripping devices for removing said member from its supporting position when said tripping devices are actuated.

17 In a film winding mechanism, the combination of a'hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a guard roll for preventing lateral displacement of the coil of film wound in the drum, a movable sup port for the feeding devices to permit the latter to assume vdifferent positions corre sponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed thereby, driving gearing for nng removes the feeding-devices from engagement with the coil of film wound in the drum, and stripping mechanism engaging the wound film near the feeding devices for positively removing the film from the feeding devices and preventing buckling of the coiled film.

18. In a film winding mechanism, the combinationv of a hollow drum, devices rotatably supporting said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, devices for feeding a strip of film into said drum and rotating the latter against said frictional resistance, a guard roll for preventing lateral displacement of the coil of film wound in the drum, a movable support for the feeding devices to permit the latter to assume difierent positions corresponding to the inner diameter of the coil of film formed thereby, driving gearing for said feeding devices for operating the latter at the same rate for the different positions ing including a friction element tending to drive said feeding devices at a rate in excess of the rate at which the film is supplied to said feeding devices, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding devices tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said drum, devices of said movable support, said driving gearfor preventing back rotation of the feeding devices whereby back rotation of the driving gearing removes the feeding devices from engagement with the coil of film wound in the drum, stripping mechanism engaging the wound film near the feeding devices for positively removing the film from the feedingdevices and preventing bucklingof the coiled film, a first framework for supporting said drum, a second framework for supporting said feeding devices, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said drum, vertical guides carried by said second framework for said movable support, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding devices away from said drum, tripping devices actuated by placing said first framework in position upon said 7 second framework for. moving sa1d holding mechanism to its releasing position, a member for supporting the end of a strip of film in engagement with said feeding devices, and connections between said member and said tripping devices for removing said member from its supporting position when said tripping de-' vices are actuated.

19. In a film winding mechanism, the combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, arotary drum for receiving the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changing the direction of motion of said film into the plane of said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, mechanism for feeding the strip of film in its changed direction into said drum and building up a coil of film in said drum by rotating said drum against said frictional resistance, a guard roll for preventing lateral displacement of the coil offilm wound in the drum, a

- movable support for the feeding mechanism and direction changing devices. permitting the feeding mechanism to assume different positions determined by the amount of film wound in said drum, driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said mechanism at the same rate for the difi'erent positions of said movable support, said driving gearing including a friction element tending to drive said feeding mechanism at a rate in excess of the rate at which the film is supplied to said feeding mechanism, the thrust of said driving gearing upon said feeding mechanism tending to hold the latter in engagement with the film wound in said drum, devices for preventing back rotation of the feeding mechanism whereby back rotation of the driving gearing removes the feeding mechanism from engagement with the coil of film wound in the drum, and stripping mechanism engaging the wound film near the feeding meanest I mechanism and preventing buckling of the coiled film.

20. In a film winding mechanism, the.

combination of means for imparting motion to a strip of film in a first direction, a rotary drum for receiving the film located in a plane inclined to said first direction, devices for changing the direction of motion of said film into the plane of said drum, friction mechanism tending to prevent rotation of said drum, mechanism for feeding the strip of film in its changed direction into said drum and building up a coil of film in said drum by rotating said drum against said frictional resistance, a guard roll for preventing lateral displacement of the coil of film wound in the drum,

a movable support for the feeding mechanism and direction changing devices permitting the feeding mechanism to assume different positions determined by the amount of film wound in said drum,-driving gearing for said feeding mechanism for operating said mechanism at the same ratefor the different positions of said movable support, sa1d drivmg gearing including a friction element tending to drive said feednism engaging the wound film near the feeding mechanism' and preventing buckling of the coiled film, a first framework for supporting said drum, a second framework for supporting sa1d feeding mechanism and direction changing devices, said first framework being readily removable from said second framework to remove the coiled film from said drum, vertical guides carried by said second framework for said movable support, mechanism carried by said second framework for holding said feeding mechanism away from said drum, tripping devices actuated by placing said first framework in position upon said second framework for moving said holding mechanism to its releasing position, a member for supporting the end of a strip of film in engagement with said feedirigmechanism, and connections between said memher and said tripping devices for removing said member from 'its supporting position when said tripping devices are actuated.

In witness whereof. I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day of November, A. D. 1915, 4

' DAVID GRAY. 

